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Family tragedy mars woman’s birthday

Mark Trollip with his girlfriend, Carmen du Plessis, before the tragedy.

NATHI OLIFANT

A PINETOWN woman’s birthday dinner came to a tragic end when her boyfriend of 18 years allegedly shot and killed her brother during an argument in her home on Thursday evening.

According to the devastated family, Mark Trollip apparently went to a flat which his sister Barbara-Anne Trollip shared with her partner.

Carmen du Plessis, Trollip’s girlfriend, said that it would appear that a fight broke out between the two men resulting in Barbara-Anne’s boyfriend shooting Trollip.

Police confirmed the incident and said a 61-year-old suspect, whose name is known to the Tribune, was arrested.

Trollip was a professional diver.

“We are devastated,” Du Plessis said. “It’s even worse for Barbara-Anne because her boyfriend is the one who stands accused of shooting and killing her brother.”

Du Plessis said she had fetched Barbara-Anne to take her out to celebrate her birthday just 20 minutes before the shooting. “We had barely left. We really have no idea as to what started the fight.”

Police spokesman Warrant Officer Bongumusa Manqele confirmed the incident saying the suspect had been charged with murder. He said the incident occurred at around 7pm on Thursday at an address in Portsmouth Road.

Manqele said soon after Trollip’s arrival a fight allegedly broke out between him and the accused.

“The information we have is that the visitor (Trollip) allegedly tried to strangle his sister’s partner, who managed to fend him off. The suspect allegedly went into his bedroom and came out with a gun. Another fight ensued. The suspect allegedly shot the victim once in the head, killing him instantly. He has told police that he was trying to fire a warning shot,” Manqele said.

The Tribune has been reliably informed the firearm was not licensed to the suspect.